Clasp for a bracelet

ABSTRACT

A clasp for a bracelet which has two legs pivoted relatively to one another at one of their respective ends and the other respective ends of which are adapted to receive a bracelet member. One of the two legs is telescopic and is formed by portions adapted to slide relatively to one another. Two discrete locking assemblies are provided, one for locking the portions of the telescopic leg in each of its respective telescoped positions and the other for locking the two legs of the clasp together and in each of the telescoped positions.

Umted States Patent [1 1 1111 3,863,299

Hocq Feb. 4, 1975 CLASP FOR A BRACELET 2,908,953 10/1959 Anderson 24/230F x 7 Inventor: Robert q Boulogne sur seine 3,609,823 l0/l97l Boots-4/49 CF France FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Assignee: SocieteAnonyme u Cartier, 353,567 5/1961 Switzerland 24/71 J Paris, France IPrimary Examiner-Donald A. Grlffin Filed! y 16, 1973 Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Brisebois & Kruger [21] Appl. No.: 360,931

[57] ABSTRACT [52] U.S. Cl. 24/71 J A clasp for a braceerwhich has twolegs pivmcd [51] IL CL I I X 5/24 tively to one another at one of theirrespective ends [:58] Field of ap 69 J 70 J and the other respectiveends of which are adapted to 24/49 A 49 CF 230 F 6 SL ireceive abracelet member. One of the two legs is telews scopic and is formed byportions adapted to slide relatively to one another. Two discretelocking assemblies [56] References Cited are provided, one for lockingthe portions of the telescopic leg in each of its respective telescopedposi- UNITED STATES PATENTS tions and the other for locking the two legsof the l a g 24/71 ST clasp together and in each of the telescopedpositions.

a ey 2,491,977 12/1949 Heller 24/71 1 4 Claims, 10 Drawing FiguresPATENTED FEB l 75 SHEET 10F 2 PATENTEDFEB' 419. 5 3,863 ,299

SHEET 2 OF 2 1 CLASP FOR A BRACELET The present invention relates to aclasp for a bracket ing a form of compass whose flat, curved legs can belocked to one another so that they can substantially follow the shape ofthe wrist.

It is known that bracelets, and more particularly watch straps, with anopen-out buckle-type clasp have great aesthetic advantages but aredifficult to adapt to the size of the wearers wrist.

The problem of the present invention is to eliminate this shortcoming.The invention relates to a clasp of the open-out buckle type whichpermits the regulation of the length of the buckle formed by thebracelet which it closes.

The present invention therefore has for its object a clasp for abracelet, notably a watch strap comprising two legs articulated relativeto one another at one of their ends and each provided at their other endwith means for receiving a bracelet member, notably of leather, having afirst means for locking the two legs of the clasp relative to oneanother, said clasp being characterised in that one of the two legs istelescopic and formed by two portions able to slide relative to oneanother and that said clasp has a second locking means different fromsaid first means for ensuring the relative positioning of the twoportions of the telescopic leg, said first means ensuring the locking ofthe two legs of the clasp for each of the lengths of the telescopic legdetermined by the second locking means.

Advantageously the two legs are flat and curvedso that they cansubstantially follow the shape of the wrist.

Preferably, for making regulation easier, the telescopic leg is incontact with the wearers wrist.

According to an embodiment of the invention one of the two portions ofthe telescopic leg is slidingly mounted relative to the other via adovetail slot, the variation of the length of the telescopic leg beingdetermined by a lug carried by one of the portions of said leg andinserted in an oblong hole in the other. Advantageously the lockingmeans according to the relative marked positions of one of the portionsof the telescopic leg relative to the other comprises an elastic foilfixed to one of said portions and spaced openings in the slidingdirection and a projection which can be inserted in said holes and fixedto the other portion of the telescopic leg.

According to another embodiment one of the portions of the telescopicleg forms a sleeve for the other. In this case the locking meansaccording to the relative marked positions of one of the portions of thetelescopic leg relative to the other comprises an elastic portion of thepart introduced into the sleeve for at least one projection and aplurality of openings in said sleeve, whereby said projections can beinserted into each of said openings.

Preferably the end of the portion inserted in the sleeve is shaped likea fork with three flat prongs, whereof the central rigid prong opposesthe two outer elastic prongs carrying the lateral projections.

As a variant the means for locking the legs on one another can comprisea spring clip fixed to one of the legs and spaced openings in the otherleg and whose spacing corresponds to that of the openings in the lockingmeans of the two portions of the telescopic leg relative to one another.In this case advantageously the spring clip is fixed to the telescopicleg, whereby the spaced openings are provided in the other leg.

According to another embodiment of the invention both legs of the claspcan be telescopic.

The attached drawings give a better understanding of the invention. 7

FIG. I shows in perspective in the open position a clasp according tothe invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section in the closed position of the clasp ofFIG. I; I

FIG. 3 isya cross-section along the line III-Ill of FIG. 2;

FIG. .4 shows one of the portions of the telescopic leg of the clasp ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows in perspective in the open position a variant of the claspof the invention;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section in the closed position of the clasp ofFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-section along the line VlI-VII of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are respectively cross-sections along the lines VIII-VIIIand IXIX of FIG. 6;

FIG. 10 shows one of the portions of the telescopic leg of the clasp ofFIG. 5.

The clasp shown in FIG. 1 has two curved, flat legs 1 and 2 each pivotedat 3 at one end so that they are either spaced from one another (FIG. I)or superposed (FIG. 2).

To the free ends 4 and 5 of legs 1 and 2 are fixed the ends of abracelet 6, e.g., a watch strap. A platelet 7 having raised edges andfixed to leg 1 masks from the outside the connection of the ends of thebracelet.

Leg 1 is a single member and has at its end 4 a central spring clasp 8.

Leg 2 which is in contact with the wearer's wrist comprises two portions9 and 10 which can slide relatively to one another via a dovetailassembly (see FIG. 3), portion 10 having a slot in which is arrangedportion 9. Portion 9 is pivoted at one of its ends at 3 to leg I. Thesurface of portion 9 has a projection 11 and a lug l2. Lug 12 isnormally introduced in an oblong slot 13 of portion 10 which permits thelimitation in both directions of the amount of slide of one portionrelative to the other.

Portion 10 has an adjustable section 14 provided with spaced openings15, each of which is able to co-operate with projection 11 of portion 9to form a locking device for portions 9 and 10 according to the markedrelative positions. Finally portion 10 has spaced openings 16 whosespacing corresponds to that of the openings 15 and which are able toco-operate with the spring clip 8 for locking portions 9 and 10 on oneanother. Thus, whatever the length of leg 2 determined by the choice ofarelative locked position of portion 9 relative to portion 10, said twolegs 1 and 2 can be locked on one another.

Thus the clasp of FIGS. 1 to 4 permits, through the regulation of thelength of branch 2, the adjustment of the length of bracelet 6.

The embodiment of the clasp according to the invention shown in FIG. 5has two flat, curved legs 17 and I8, pivoted at 19 at one end so thatthey can be spaced relative to one another (FIG. 5) or superposed (FIG.6).

To the free ends 20, 21 of legs 17, 18 are fixed the ends of a bracelet22, e.g., a watch strap. As in the previous embodiment a platelet 23with raised edges and fixed to leg 17 permits the masking from theoutside of the connection of the two ends of the bracelet 22. Leg 17 isa single member and has a plurality of spaced openings 24.

Leg 18 comprises two portions 25, 26 able to slide relative to oneanother, whereby portion 26 is a flat sleeve of rectangularcross-section wherein is introduced portion (see FIGS. 7, 8 and 9).Portion 23 is pivoted at one of its ends at 19 to leg 17. Portion 25 hasan oblong slot 27 while its end opposite to leg 17 is shaped like a forkwith three prongs 28 whereof the central rigid prong opposes the twoother elastic prongs, which carry the lateral projections 29. Oblongslot 27 is normally transversed by a lug 30 fixed to portion 26 whichpermits the limitation, in both directions of the amount of slide of oneof the portions relative to the other.

Portion 26 has lateral spaced openings 31 each able to co-operate with aprojection 29 of portion 25 to form a locking device for portions 25, 26according to the marked relative positions. Finally position 26 has aspring clip 32 able to co-operate with each of the openings 24 to locklegs 17, 18 to one another. The spacing of openings 24 correspond tothat of the openings 31. In this embodiment the regulation of the lengthof leg 18 permits the adjustment of the length of bracelet 22.

I claim:

1. Clasp for a bracelet comprising two legs, each having one endpivotally connected to one end of the other locking the two portions ofthe telescopic leg in any of several relative positions corresponding todifferent lengths of the telescopic leg and defined by spaced openingsin one of said relatively slidable portions, said first locking meanscomprising a spring clip fixed to one of the legs and spaced openings inthe other leg spaced by the same distance as the openings in said oneslidable portion, said first locking means being adapted to lock thelegs of the clasp together with the two portions of said telescopic legin any of said several positions.

2. Clasp as claimed in claim 1 wherein said spring clip is fixed to thetelescopic leg, and the spaced openings are formed in the other leg.

3. Clasp as claimed in claim 1 wherein one of said portions of thetelescopic leg is mounted to slide relative to the other by means of adovetail slot.

4. Clasp as claimed in claim 1 wherein the means for locking one of theportions of the telescopic leg relative to the other comprises anelastic strip fixed to one of said portions and provided withlongitudinally spaced holes and a projection on the other portion of thetelescopic le'g positioned to be inserted in said holes.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE QE'HFICATE 0F CURRECTION Patent No.3,863,299 Dated Februarv l. 1975 Q Inventor(s) ROBERT HOCQ It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data May 17, 1972 France 72 17596Signed and Entaled this second Day of September 1975 [SEAL] e Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer (mnmissl'mzer ofPatents and Trademarks O FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC scam-ps9 fi'U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 0-356-334,

1. Clasp for a bracelet comprising two legs, each having one endpivotally connected to one end of the other leg and each provided at itsother end with means for receiving a bracelet member, first lockingmeans for locking the two legs of the clasp to each other, one of thetwo legs being telescopic and comprising two portions adapted to sliderelative to each other, and second locking means distinct from saidfirst locking means for locking the two portions of the telescopic legin any of several relative positions corresponding to different lengthsof the telescopic leg and defined by spaced openings in one of saidrelatively slidable portions, said first locking means comprising aspring clip fixed to one of the legs and spaced openings in the otherleg spaced by the same distance as the openings in said one slidableportion, said first locking means being adapted to lock the legs of theclasp together with the two portions of said telescopic leg in any ofsaid several positions.
 2. Clasp as claimed in claim 1 wherein saidspring clip is fixed to the telescopic leg, and the spaced openings areformed in the other leg.
 3. Clasp as claimed in claim 1 wherein one ofsaid portions of the telescopic leg is mounted to slide relative to theother by means of a dovetail slot.
 4. Clasp as claimed in claim 1wherein the means for locking one of the portions of the telescopic legrelative to the other comprises an elastic strip fixed to one of saidportions and provided with longitudinally spaced holes and a projectionon the other portion of the telescopic leg positioned to be inserted insaid holes.